With Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets have an easy road to contention, but after this year’s loss in the West Semifinals, it became clear that the franchise needed to make some major changes to keep up with the NBA elites. Fortunately, new GM Ben Tenzer has been hard at work making moves that the fans agree have reopened the Nuggets’ title window.
In just the first few days of the offseason, the franchise has made notable improvements at several positions. The most important move so far was trading longtime Nuggets swingman, Michael Porter Jr., and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Nets for Cam Johnson. They also signed Bruce Brown, traded Dario Saric for Jonas Valanciunas, and signed veteran sharpshooter Tim Hardaway Jr.
In short, it’s been a tremendous summer for the Nuggets, and they’ve improved in several areas as a team. With depth, star power, and positive leadership in the locker room, the Nuggets are poised to be highly competitive in the West. Plus, with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray at full strength, they will be heavy contenders to win their second NBA championship. After their latest signings, here is the starting lineup for the new-look Nuggets and a glimpse into what will likely be one of the West’s most competitive teams next season.
Point Guards: Jamal Murray, Jalen Pickett
Shooting Guards: Tim Hardaway Jr., Christian Braun, Julian Strawther
Small Forwards: Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, Hunter Tyson
Power Forwards: Aaron Gordon, Peyton Watson, Zeke Nnaji
Centers: Nikola Jokic, Jonas Valanciunas, DaRon Holmes
The Starters
The Nuggets were able to make significant upgrades while keeping their main core intact (Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon). After winning a championship in 2023, that trio proved that they could beat anyone, and they’ll be feeling good about their chances to win it all next year.
At 28 years old, Jamal Murray is only just hitting his prime, and the Nuggets have never lost faith in his potential with Nikola Jokic. Since winning the title in 2023, the duo has been inseparable, and Murray has delivered for them time and time again in high-pressure situations. While his three-point shooting took a dip last season, his versatile skillset should remain highly effective for the Nuggets in the 2024-25 campaign.
At shooting guard, the Nuggets could go with Christian Braun, who has taken over the position ever since the departure of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. He played his role well enough for the Nuggets last season with averages of 15.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game last season but they have more options now after the Tim Hardaway Jr. trade. If the Nuggets want more shooting or instant offense, they could choose to give him the start over Braun and Brown.
There’s also Cam Johnson, who is going to be the team’s small forward next season. He isn’t the scorer that Michael Porter Jr. is, but his game might be a better fit. Besides being a bit more well-rounded, Cam is more of a catch-and-shoot player than someone like MPJ, who frequently spends possessions trying to score in isolation. With Johnson, it’s easy to see the ball moving more, which would result in better shots for everyone and a more efficient offense overall.
In the frontcourt, Aaron Gordon played a major role in the Nuggets’ 2023 playoff run. As their primary power forward, he’s on the frontlines with Nikola Jokic, and his explosive play down low helps apply pressure against the opposing frontcourt. In 51 games for the Nuggets last season, he averaged 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game on 53.1% shooting. As it stands, he’s under contract for the next four years with an annual salary of $30+ million.
As a 2x MVP, 7x All-Star, and 1x champion, it’s no mystery that Nikola Jokic is the star of the show in Denver. At 30 years old, Jokic is expected to deliver another MVP-caliber performance next season, and that’s after he averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game in the 2024-25 campaign. With his scoring, playmaking, and elite passing ability, we already know that the Joker is the best player in the game right now, and with his new roster, he may have enough to take them on another title run.
The Bench
The Nuggets have one of the deepest and star-studded starting lineups in the NBA, but they have historically struggled with Jokic off the floor. In the past, the non-Jokic minutes have been deadly for the Nuggets, and if they want any hope of winning the title next year, they’ll need to find a way to stay competitive when their star big man is not on the floor.
Fortunately, they still have some of their trusted bench players, like Payton Watson, and potentially Christian Braun (if Hardaway starts over him). They’ll also have Bruce Brown back, a two-way swingman who helped the Nuggets win the title in 2023. He’ll bring versatility on both ends of the floor for Denver, along with key championship experience.
Arguably, the most important bench addition is Jonas Valanciunas, a traditional big man who can hold down the paint when Jokic is off the floor. With averages of 10.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game last season, he’s capable of putting up solid numbers, and he can help keep the Nuggets’ defense afloat for the second unit.
Of course, after losing Russell Westbrook, critics might say the Nuggets lost a key piece off the bench, but the combination of Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Peyton Watson should more than make up for Westbrook’s departure. At the very least, it should eliminate any problems of depth for the Nuggets.
As the last line of defense, coach Adelman will also have three young guys ready to step up at any time: Jalen Pickett, Zeke Nnaji, and Hunter Tyson. They aren’t expected to play a major role in Denver, but they could see some time off the bench in certain matchups throughout the season.
Amazing Summer For The Nuggets
With the NBA draft now over and the Nuggets out of cap space, most experts agree that they are probably done making moves for now. After back-to-back failed seasons, new GM Ben Tenzer has taken action to put his team in title contention.
As long as they have Nikola Jokic, the franchise will always be somewhat relevant, but with this revamped roster, they are poised to return to where they were in the 2022-23 season, when they made their first and only run to the championship.
Ultimately, only time will tell what results the Nuggets get, but after finishing fourth in the West last season, they knew changes had to be made in order to maximize their title chances. Now, all that’s left is for the team to come together and rally behind Nikola Jokic so he can lead them to the promised land once again.
